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The secret to running a fast 5K is simple: train hard and go into your race well rested. This means that you need to go beyond doing general aerobic runs. Although those can help your general fitness, you need race-specific training to prepare you for a 5K. Include speed work, long runs and hill training in your regimen and be sure to taper before your race.

Speed Sessions

To race fast, you need to train fast. Include one speed session per week. Doing short, 400-meter track repeats is ideal preparation for a 5K race. Run one 400-meter lap of the track. Aim to run each lap eight seconds faster than you would run a quarter mile at your goal race pace. After each fast lap, recover by jogging or walking around the track. Repeat this four to six times. Add an extra lap each week until you're doing 14 repeats.

Long Runs

A 5K race is one of the shorter distances in road racing, but if you want to improve your speed, you'll need to run long in training. Once a week you should do a run that's longer than your typical training runs. Increase the time of your long run by about 10 percent each week to a maximum of about two hours and 40 minutes. You should run at a pace three to four minutes per mile slower than your 5K race pace.

Hill Repeats

A key to improving your 5K time is improving your running efficiency. Performing hill repeats can help improve your efficiency by training you to run with proper stride when your legs are fatigued. Run 40 to 60 yards up a reasonably steep hill. Walk down the hill and wait two to three minutes before running up again. Do this eight to 10 times, performing the session once a week.

Taper

Tapering means reducing your mileage and intensity ahead of your race. For a short race like a 5K, your taper should also be short. Reduce the distance of your long run by 25 percent the week before your 5K, and rest the day after your long run. Drop the number of repetitions in your speed workout by 25 to 33 percent in the week before your race, and reduce the intensity of your speed workout slightly. Reduce your mileage in the three days before your race and take an extra rest day if you feel you need it.

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About the Author

A. McDougall is an editor, writer and athlete. McDougall is a marathon coach certified by the North American Academy for Sport Fitness Professionals and an American College of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer. McDougall has edited and written for several national magazines.